According to Christian Ultsch, Turkey shouldn't allow itself to be provoked by the actions of the PKK in Northern Iraq: "When the Turkish army goes after the PKK on Iraqi soil, it falls in the category of self-defence. Nonetheless, the government in Ankara would be well advised to carefully dose its measures and avoid falling into the trap of leading a major offensive, because that would be playing right into the hands of the guerrillas. The PKK, a crude Marxist-nationalist sect, is on the verge of collapse. Abdullah Öcalan, the object of its cult, has been in custody since 1999, and thanks to increased cooperation with the EU, the Kurdish people it claims to represent are being granted more (albeit still inadequate) rights. Consequently, the pitiful remnants of the PKK military need war like a vampire needs blood. It's the only way it can survive. If the goal is to starve out the PKK, it must be completely isolated." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Turquía, » Irak
Todos los textos disponible de » Christian Ultsch

"If Turkey launches a large-scale military operation, it will find itself in a situation that will only be of benefit to the terrorists and favour their sinister aim to sink their country into the Iraqi quagmire", says the Spanish daily. "If it intervenes and the attacks against the Turkish troops continue, the Ankara government will be faced with growing popular discontent that could at any time degenerate into a domestic civil war with dangerous consequences. Another conflict in this part of the world would be in nobody's interest ... . Calls for prudence being sounded everywhere, from the US to the EU, NATO and even Baghdad point towards the best path to follow in such a situation. Turkey is right in this struggle against terrorists, but it should always respond with the weapons that the law offers it, applying with intelligence and without succumbing to the provocations of its enemies." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Europa, » Turquía

Roland Heine writes that the conflict with the PKK in Northern Iraq is highlighting the rift between former allies Turkey and the US. "One asks oneself what will happen when US and Turkish troops come up against each other. ... The new Turkish elites no longer see their country as a NATO outpost, but as a regional power with independent economic and political interests regarding their neighbouring states. Confrontations with Syria or Iran are counterproductive for Ankara: Syria is vital as a transit country for Turkish exports to Arab states and Iran is a large market directly on Turkey's doorstep widely regarded as a partner in the battle against Kurdish separatism. The US is obviously having difficulties accepting the new situation." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Turquía, » Irak
Todos los textos disponible de » Roland Heine

Manfred Rotter, a specialist in international law, criticises the fact that the new EU treaty also contains a military assistance pact (article 27, paragraph 7). "This section of the reform treaty considerably extends the current range of the EU: in addition to its present capacities it also becomes a defence alliance." He adds that the obligation to form part of the alliance "is still up in the air from an institutional point of view because the creation of a 'common European defence' which has been in planning for a long time now is still in the distant future. The EU also lacks the power to have a restraining influence on EU states that tend towards a high-risk maverick approach, as the example of Poland and the Czech Republic in connection with the the American missile defence shield shows. ... The military alliance is particularly puzzling when one considers that 22 of the 27 EU states are also NATO members and therefore under separate obligation to the 26 (!) NATO member states - a fact which article 27, paragraph 7 explicitly states and which is also given a certain priority." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Constitución de la UE, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Manfred Rotter

Timothy Garton Ash notes a failure to consolidate any large, durable political parties in several Eureopean Countries. He takes Poland as his starting point, where, "Over the years, parties have come and gone like hopeful singles at a speed-dating session. The acronyms have been reshuffled like an alphabet in a kaleidoscope. ... If you look at the election records of other post-communist countries you often find a similar volatility : less so in some places (the Czech Republic, Hungary), almost as much in others. But nor is this merely a post-communist cacophony. Take Italy, for example. ... If our [UK and US] old-established parties did not exist, would we invent them ? Almost certainly not. They're there because they're there. They no longer represent distinctive social groups (eg Labour for labour) or distinct, coherent sets of principles. In Britain, Labour and Conservatives now cross-dress all the time." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Gran Bretaña
Todos los textos disponible de » Timothy Garton Ash

Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk expresses her relief at the outcome of her country's elections in an interview with Paul Flückiger: "The Poles are decidedly pro-European. They perceive themselves as Europeans - as West Europeans I'd say. The elections bear this out. Just look at the long queues that formed in front of consulates in Ireland and Great Britain. Many Poles are trying to make a new life for themselves in these countries, but they still have a sense of responsibility towards their home country. I found that very touching. A new Poland is in the making here - one that no longer defines itself in national terms but as a lingual-cultural community." Tokarczuk also points out that election winner Donald Tusk's party programme is very conservative: "I do, however, think it's very unfortunate that Poland lacks a decent left-wing movement. A new generation of left-wingers has yet to emerge here." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política interior, » Historia, » Polonia
Todos los textos disponible de » Olga Tokarczuk

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has announced early elections for November 13. The expected decision came as the result of growing tensions between the minority government consisting of liberal-conservatives and conservatives and its longstanding partner, the rightwing populist Danish People's Party. The newspaper greets the move with the words "at last". "Over the past few years the country has been controlled by the far right. The blocking policy of the government under the direction of the Danish People's Party has hindered the discussion about social change. This raises the question of whether a minority on the far right should continue to be allowed to halt the modernisation of the welfare state and the development of a decent and humane asylum policy. This time there's hope that Denmark will get a government that pursues reform instead of blocking policies." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política interior, » Dinamarca

The daily notes how Greek school teenagers are not taking part in the traditional national holiday celebrations this coming October 28th. "They no longer see much of a point and are too busy ... occupying the schools. In Patras in Crete, in Thessalonika in Athens, over 130 schools have been occupied since last week and the number is due to increase over the coming days. The demands are simple: the lack of text books must be resolved and public teaching conditions improved. Secondary school pupils are also protesting like last year against the reform of article 16 of the Constitution [guaranteeing the free and public education for all Greek citizens]. Numerous demands thus herald a tense winter for the national education system." (24/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política interior, » Grecia

The Slotervaart neighbourhood in the west of Amsterdam has been the theatre of several violent outbursts since the death on Sunday, October 14th, of youth of Moroccan origins killed by two policemen. Didier Burg has questioned the Dutch sociologist Paul Scheffer on the subject. The sociologist rejects any comparison with the riots in Parisian suburbs during November 2005. "The events are not on the same scale. The alienation of youths is however the same in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. There are analogies that should lead to a European analysis. ... There remains today a feeling of alienation and loss. On the part of immigrants who are under the impression that they are loosing out here and on the part of the Dutch with Dutch roots who are seeing their neighbourhood life change drastically. The danger is that this feeling of loss will might create turning inwards of each and everyone.” (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política interior, » Migración, » Integración, » Minorías, » Holanda
Todos los textos disponible de » Didier Burg, » Paul Scheffer

Sweden's public health system has its failings: long waiting times for operations are commonplace. In response to the situation the country's first privately-funded children's hospital is to open in Stockholm next year. Patients must have private insurance to receive to treatment there. Göran Greider is appalled: "This is a turning point. It paves the way for the creation of a class society in which people are divided into two categories from birth on: those who have and those who have nothing. ... It will be a long time before we have the same situation as in the US, where a large proportion of the population has no health insurance and access to healthcare is unequal. Still, the opening of a private hospital in Stockholm points in this direction. Why should a top-earner pay taxes when he already has an insurance that guarantees private treatment for his children should the need arise?" (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Salud, » Suecia, » EE.UU.

Numerous studies have shown that Finland needs more immigrants. Max Arhippainen points out that in the current debate essential issues are being overlooked: "It's also important that people have the desire to come here. We Finns aren't particularly willing to take in foreigners. The rules must enable people to find proper employment here. However most of our immigration policies were formulated at a time when the main goal was to make the borders as tight as possible." Arhippainen calls for changes to the asylum procedure: "Those who are given B status are not allowed to study or work here. The Council of Europe's anti-racism committee has quite rightly criticised this on numerous occasions. The strategy of refusing people the right to make a living is pure madness - both in human and economic terms." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Migración, » Desarrollo demográfico, » Finlandia
Todos los textos disponible de » Max Arhippainen

"News that the price of a loaf of bread is set to rise by 40-60 per cent here in the wake of even steeper increases in international wheat prices brings it home with a sharp jolt that a long period of low food inflation has come to an end", notes the Irish daily. "Changes in world demand for grains and cereals explain these trends. They are also driven by associated shifts in production caused by climate change ... . Relations between food and energy sectors and the local and world economies are set to become a more standing feature of our lives in years to come. Protests about increasing prices for primary food have been seen in Italy, Germany, France, Mexico, Burma, China and India in recent months. ... Price turbulence on this scale creates many opportunities for sharp practice, hoarding and rank injustice. But these changes can be turned to advantage if they raise consciousness about the precarious balance between our food and energy futures." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Consumidor, » Economía agrícola, » Irlanda, » Global

Karine Le Loët has discovered a new popular television programme in the UK. "The opening credits role by to the sound of syncopated oriental music. On the screen, domes and minarets appear one after the other and then merge into the silhouette of eight mosques. These are the runners up competing since September 29th for the title of 'Ideal mosque 2007' in the UK. Launched by the British Islam Channel, this new programme has the alluring scent of reality television. ... The idea is the brainchild of a volunteer who works for Islam Channel and was struck by the disparity among the UK's 1,500 mosques. While some appeared stuck in archaic times, others were preaching the virtues of opening up. For the Islam Channel it was time to sort them out and brandish a few exemplary models. ... The prize winning mosque will be awarded the lead role in a television documentary and a handsome cheque of 35,000 pounds (50 000 euros) destined to improve services." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Migración, » Minorías, » Gran Bretaña
Todos los textos disponible de » Karine Le Loët

"Everyone will be aware, having seen the exhibition at the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris all about comic strips, that Superman is Jewish", note Samuel Blumenfeld and Yves-Marie Labé. "This knowledge will help to better understand how and why the Jewish minority in the United States used comic strips to first tell their own story and then modify, unexpectedly and unpredictably, the popular culture of their host country. ... Logically, Superman fights the Nazis. ... When the 'Iron Man' destroyed the Atlantic wall and the Siegfried line well before D day, the Nazi propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, shouted in a meeting that 'Superman is Jewish'. What was an insult is now to be taken as something quite evident." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Exposiciones / Museos, » Alemania, » Francia, » EE.UU.
Todos los textos disponible de » Samuel Blumenfeld, » Yves-Marie Labé

The renowned Czech writer Milan Kundera, who has been living in France for years, has been awarded the 2007 Czech National Literature Prize. The decision is controversial because many Czechs resent the fact that Kundera avoids his own country. Jiří T. Král is among those who disapprove. "It would have made sense if Kundera had been awarded the prize in the early 1990s. That was when some of his books that had been banned under the communist regime reappeared in Czech book stores. But it was Kundera himself who decided that his books would only appear sporadically in the Czech Republic. He justified this by saying he had no time to translate them from French (into Czech). 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' appeared here 21 years after it was first written. It's tough luck for those Czechs who don't speak French, English or Chinese (..). Naturally the author is entitled to his own opinion, but in Prague he should be awarded the national prize for ignorance of his Czech readers." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Literatura, » La República Checa
Todos los textos disponible de » Jiří T.. Král

British travel writer Michael Palin included the three Baltic states in his latest series for the BBC, "The New Europe". Ignas Brazauskas comments on the series: "Of course it was interesting to get some general information and an insight into the mentality of each of these three countries. However it was obvious that most of the information didn't come from Palin himself but from members of the film team on location who had been specially commissioned for the task. This only served to reinforce the kind of stereotypes you find in all the travel brochures." He notes with regret that it was Lithuania which came away worst. "The whole time melancholic music played in the background, which wasn't the case with Estonia and Latvia. And Palin didn't interview a single Lithuanian. So what kind of impression will this make on the average Brit? Estonia was the only country which might have come over as halfway normal." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Medios de comunicación audiovisuales, » Turismo, » Gran Bretaña, » Lituania, » Letonia, » Estonia
Todos los textos disponible de » Ignas Brazauskas

An appeal to save the Italian landscape from being further disfigured by an increasing number of buildings has been signed by architects, historians and writers including Andrea Camilleri. The journalist Francesco Erbani explains: "Two hundred and forty thousand hectares per year multiplied by fifteen adds up three million six-hundred thousand, a territory as big as the Aruzzi and Latium regions combined. This is the amount of land that Italy lost between 1990 and 2005. Figures speak louder than words. They reveal how much construction has increased. This is due to people in Italy building private and expensive homes in protected areas. The Italian landscape is deteriorating, and this is because of legislation that is too permissive in matters of construction." (25/10/2007)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Medio ambiente, » Italia
Todos los textos disponible de » Francesco Erbani